Digital BW, The Print

Hi folks:

I recently wrote an article for Adorama's "100 in 100" series about  
when to use sheets vs. rolls.

I've found that some companies are much better than others with  
regard to providing quality cut sheets. It is not easy for companies  
to cut paper perfectly square, with minimal shedding and with little  
to no curl (especially with many fine-art papers).

The article can be found here:

http://www.adorama.com/Catalog.tpl?op=academy_new&article=061908
or
http://tinyurl.com/4xbtww

All the best,

Andrew
---------------------------------------------------
Andrew Darlow
Editor, The Imaging Buffet
http://www.imagingbuffet.com
Author, 301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques:
An Essential Printing Resource for Photographers - http:// 
www.inkjettips.com




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Good article, Andrew.

Another point in favor of sheets from my experience is that you can
inspect them more easily for flaws before printing. (By `flaws' I mean
dark specks or whatever that are engrained in the paper and can't be
removed by brushing and air-blasting). With rolls you can do this too,
of course, but you have to feed out the paper and it's a bit of
hassle. And if you're using two-sided paper as I do, you can't easily
check the under-side of a roll to see if it's better, but you can do
so easily with a sheet.

I've wasted so much time and paper on roll-paper prints that wind up
with a black speck right in the middle of the sky!

Mark  

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Andrew Darlow
<ad@...> wrote:

>
> Hi folks:
> 
> I recently wrote an article for Adorama's "100 in 100" series about  
> when to use sheets vs. rolls.
> 
> I've found that some companies are much better than others with  
> regard to providing quality cut sheets. It is not easy for companies  
> to cut paper perfectly square, with minimal shedding and with little  
> to no curl (especially with many fine-art papers).
> 
> The article can be found here:
> 
> http://www.adorama.com/Catalog.tpl?op=academy_new&article=061908
> or
> http://tinyurl.com/4xbtww
> 
> All the best,
> 
> Andrew
> ---------------------------------------------------
> Andrew Darlow
> Editor, The Imaging Buffet
> http://www.imagingbuffet.com
> Author, 301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques:
> An Essential Printing Resource for Photographers - http:// 
> www.inkjettips.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Hi Mark:

Thanks for your kind words. I agree that it is very difficult to  
inspect a full roll, and it is difficult to send one back, let's say,  
if you already printed 60% of it and then find a major problem.

I also prefer to brush fine art paper in sheets away from the  
printer, and that I've found to be easier to do with sheets.

All the best,

Andrew
---------------------------------------------------
Andrew Darlow
Editor, The Imaging Buffet
http://www.imagingbuffet.com
Author, 301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques:
An Essential Printing Resource for Photographers - http:// 
www.inkjettips.com


On Jun 19, 2008, at 3:28 PM, Mark McCarvill wrote:

> Good article, Andrew.
>
> Another point in favor of sheets from my experience is that you can
> inspect them more easily for flaws before printing. (By `flaws' I mean
> dark specks or whatever that are engrained in the paper and can't be
> removed by brushing and air-blasting). With rolls you can do this too,
> of course, but you have to feed out the paper and it's a bit of
> hassle. And if you're using two-sided paper as I do, you can't easily
> check the under-side of a roll to see if it's better, but you can do
> so easily with a sheet.
>
> I've wasted so much time and paper on roll-paper prints that wind up
> with a black speck right in the middle of the sky!
>
> Mark
>
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Andrew Darlow
> <ad@...> wrote:
> >
> > Hi folks:
> >
> > I recently wrote an article for Adorama's "100 in 100" series about
> > when to use sheets vs. rolls.
> >
> > I've found that some companies are much better than others with
> > regard to providing quality cut sheets. It is not easy for companies
> > to cut paper perfectly square, with minimal shedding and with little
> > to no curl (especially with many fine-art papers).
> >
> > The article can be found here:
> >
> > http://www.adorama.com/Catalog.tpl?op=academy_new&article=061908
> > or
> > http://tinyurl.com/4xbtww
> >
> > All the best,
> >
> > Andrew
> > ---------------------------------------------------
> > Andrew Darlow
> > Editor, The Imaging Buffet
> > http://www.imagingbuffet.com
> > Author, 301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques:
> > An Essential Printing Resource for Photographers - http://
> > www.inkjettips.com
> >
> >
>







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for the article.

I am using almost 100% rolls. I thought I'd lay out how I got to that 
point.

I am using a 4x5 for film, and a Canon 1DsII for digital. I will 
probably go to a medium format digital back eventually.

Most of my prints are large. I have a 7600, 9600, and a 7880. I am 
printing 100% with Photo Black on "photo" papers now. About 85% of my 
work is color.

I went to using 100% rolls, all 24", to reduce the number of papers 
that I stock. After testing about 30 papers this past winter, I 
dedcided to go to Epson Premium Luster and Semi-Gloss for proofing.  
Epson had those on sale, buy 2 get 1 free. The net cost on the Semi-
Gloss is about $57 per roll, or about $.28 per square foot, which is 
about the same as Epson Enhanced Matte.

I also standardized on the Hahnemuhle Fine Art Baryta, Harman Gloss 
Ai, and Innova Glossy Warmtone for my premium papers.  Also on 24" 
rolls. I am getting rid of all of my matte/"fine art" papers, mostly 
to simplify my printing.

Most of my proofs and final prints have one dimension that is at 
least 24".  If I go to smaller proofs I use Qimage and gang prints. 
One will still have at least a 12" side.  I just don't see the point 
in printing/proofing smaller than that.  

I also use a dye ink set for proofing that costs about $25 per liter. 
So my 24x36 inch proofs on premium Semi-Gloss cost $1.75, about $.30 
per square foot.  But that is another discussion.

Best,
Michael